Edmonton Economic Development Corporation

The personal touch This summer, Edmonton's economic development agency will conduct a marketing campaign in the U.S. to attract unemployed, skilled workers, taking along a contingent of oil sands employers looking for thousands of engineers, mechanics and welders. To sell the idea of moving to Canada, the recruiters will rely on a combination of the familiar “quality of life” pitch and a solid message about just how big Alberta natural-resource projects are. “No one really understands the order of magnitude in the oil sands,” says Mike Wo, executive director of the Edmonton Economic Development Corp. “We want them to understand it's a massive undertaking and there are literally, dozens and dozens of employers who would be thrilled to have them.” The agency is going so far as to fly in potential hires to show them what Edmonton is like. Pooling their resources, employers will cover the cost of group flights so that candidates can check out the city, from its housing and university to the quality of its golf courses.

Alberta's and Canada's ability to engage effectively with the international community and exert positive influence in world affairs requires knowledge about the culture, conditions and aspirations of citizens in other countries.

In 1999, the Conference Board of Canada released a study noting the positive correlation between international education and gross domestic product, innovation, international trade and foreign direct investment.

In 2001, the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT) estimated that international students contributed $8 billion to the Canadian economy.

Intermediate Proficiency (Stage II - CLB Levels 5-8) represents the range of abilities which enable a learner to participate more fully in social, educational, and work-related settings. The contexts in which English is used are less familiar and predictable and the proficiencies demonstrated by learners enable them to function more independently. Competencies acquired in this stage may enable a learner to move beyond the ESL classroom into new opportunities. Many learners, at the end of Stage II, are ready for post-secondary academic programs.

Basic Proficiency (Stage I - CLB Levels 1-4) is the range of abilities needed to communicate in common and predictable settings to meet basic needs and to carry out everyday activities. A curriculum aligned to the Benchmarks and targeting the language proficiencies of stage 1 learners would focus on topics of immediate personal relevance.

Description of each level of proficiency Use the following chart to assess your proficiency. Follow the links for a description of each level of proficiency. Proficiency Level Ability Speaking Listening Reading Writing HIGH: You can communicate effectively in most social and work situations. Speaking: High Listening: High Reading: High Writing: High MODERATE: You can communicate comfortably in familiar social and work situations. Speaking: Moderate Listening: Moderate Reading: Moderate Writing: Moderate BASIC: You can communicate in predictable contexts and on familiar topics, but with some difficulty. Speaking: Basic Listening: Basic Reading: Basic Writing: Basic NO: You do not meet the above criteria for basic proficiency. Does not meet Basic Level. Does not meet Basic Level. Does not meet Basic Level. Does not meet Basic Level.

What do Benchmarks describe? There are four types of benchmarks and each describes ability within a specific area of language skill or combination of skills. The four skill areas are: listening speaking reading writing

How many Benchmarks are there? There are twelve Benchmarks in each of the three areas, making thirty-six in all. An absolute beginner (literate in the Roman alphabet) would be at Benchmark One in each of the three areas.

Canadian Language Benchmark Language Standards As of July 1, 2012, most applicants for semi- and low-skilled occupations under the PNP program will be required to first take a language proficiency test and obtain a minimum standard of CLB 4 across all four categories: listening, speaking, reading and writing. The CLB is the national standard used in Canada for describing, measuring and recognizing the English language proficiency of adult immigrants and prospective immigrants for living and working in Canada. It provides a descriptive scale of communicative proficiency in English as a second language, expressed as benchmarks or reference points. The NCLC are used for assessment of French language proficiency. CLB 4 is considered “Basic Proficiency” and means that an individual being tested who “meets” CLB 4: can communicate basic needs and personal experience; can follow, with considerable effort, simple formal and informal conversations; can read a simple set of instructions, plain language; and can write short messages, postcards, notes or directions. Applicants must provide valid results from a language test administered by a designated testing agency to Citizenship and Immigration Canada. The acceptable tests are: the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) General Training; the Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program (CELPIP-General); and the Test d’évaluation de français (to test proficiency in French). No other evidence of language proficiency will be accepted.

a three-day course organized by Alberta Oilfield Employment Solutions. Based in Red Deer, Alta., the two-man company provides basic training for workers wanting to enter the job-rich oilpatch.

The company provides a crash course in oilpatch safety and basic knowledge. For instance, the course covers standard first aid and mandatory training on working around hydrogen sulfide gas. Students also learn what coil tubing is, and the difference between a drilling rig and a service rig.

$995 the course isn't cheap

One rule of thumb I've heard is that is at least one-third of whatever their compensation is.

both ADP and Right Management estimate that the overall average cost to do that in the U.S. is just over $40,000US. This includes the costs to advertise, interview and train as well as the labor costs of the human resources staff and the loss of productivity until the new employee comes up to speed.

Cost Per Hire as mainly what you pay outside sources

Net inter-provincial migration accounted for a little more than a quarter (26.6%) of Alberta’s 10.6% population growth between 2001 and 2006. This was the highest among all Canadian provinces. 

The largest number of migrants to Alberta originated from British Columbia (72,680), Ontario (49,455) and Saskatchewan (37,430). Yukon Territory and Prince Edward Island each provided fewer than 1,500 persons while only 310 people changed residence from Nunavut to Alberta during the reference period.

Over the course of the same period, Alberta also lost some of its population to other provinces. The largest number of out-migrants, moved to British Columbia (62,795), followed Ontario (29,800), and Saskatchewan (16,635). The fewest number of out-migrants, went to the Northwest Territories (1,655), Yukon Territory (750), Prince Edward Island (630), and Nunavut (195).

Edmonton’s percentage rate of increase in immigration from 2006 to 2010 was 71%, the highest of seven major cities across Canada.

34,800 new jobs were created in Edmonton from December 2010 to December 2011, the fastest rate of job growth in Canada, according to Statistics Canada.

GOVERNMENT OF SASKATCHEWAN SUPPORTS LABOUR RECRUITMENT MISSION TO IRELAND Premier Brad Wall and Advanced Education, Employment and Immigration Minister Rob Norris will participate in a labour recruitment mission to Ireland in March 2012. The delegation will be comprised of Saskatchewan employers and supported by the Government of Saskatchewan. Immigration staff will support employers who are actively making job offers in Ireland at career fairs in Dublin (March 3-4) and Cork (March 7) where more than 9,000 qualified candidates in fields including trades and construction, engineering and health sciences are expected to attend. "The New Saskatchewan offers jobs, a high quality of life, and a welcoming environment to newcomers," Wall said. "We look forward to telling our story in Ireland. Immigration is helping sustain our economic momentum and enriching our cultural diversity." "There is a tremendous pool of qualified people in Ireland who are actively seeking opportunities abroad," Norris said. "The Irish Economic and Social Research Institute estimates 75,000 Irish are expected to emigrate in 2012 as unemployment in the country continues to rise. This mission will connect Saskatchewan employers with qualified candidates who are seeking to emigrate." Twenty-two employers have committed to participating in the mission with more than 275 vacancies on offer. Candidates who receive an offer of employment will work with immigration officers to apply to the Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP). "With a record of economic growth, and one of the lowest unemployment rates in Canada, Saskatchewan is a place of opportunity," Norris said. "And we welcome these newcomers to discover the Saskatchewan advantage." -30- For more information, contact: Richelle Bourgoin Advanced Education, Employment and Immigration Regina Phone: 306-787-8153 Email: richelle.bourgoin@gov.sk.ca

All agencies and organizations listed below adhere to the General Guiding Principles for Good Practice in the Assessment of Foreign Credentials and the Recommendation on Criteria and Procedures for the Assessment of Foreign Qualifications adopted under the 1997 Lisbon Recognition Convention. Note that their assessments are not necessarily appropriate or applicable to all situations. If you are planning to study in Canada, consult our Fact Sheet #1 "Information for students educated abroad applying for admission to Canadian universities and colleges" at http://www.cicic.ca/392/admission-to-universities-and-colleges.canada. If you intend to work in a regulated occupation, you will first need to contact the pertinent regulatory body (see our occupational profiles at http://www.cicic.ca/403/occupational-profiles-for-selected-trades-and-professions.canada) for detailed instructions on the procedure to follow (Note: even if you are already licensed to practice a regulated occupation in Canada, employers may request that you provide them with a formal assessment of your academic credentials; if that is the case, please contact one of the services listed below).

Alberta International Qualifications Assessment Service (IQAS) Foreign Qualifications Recognition (FQR) Unit Immigration Division Alberta Employment and Immigration 9th Floor, 108 Street Building 9942 - 108 Street Edmonton, Alberta  T5K 2J5 Canada Tel.: +1 780 427-2655 Toll-free in Alberta: 310-0000 ask for 427-2655 Fax: +1 780 422-9734 Web site: http://employment.alberta.ca/Immigration/4512.html

semi- and low-skilled professions will have to undergo mandatory language testing of their listening, speaking, reading and writing abilities and meet a minimum standard across all four of these categories

Starting July 1, 2012, most Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) applicants for

In Saskatchewan, 5,354 immigrants arrived under the program in 2010, compared with 173 in 2003.

The most in-demand engineering positions include civil, mechanical and electrical with expertise in areas such as pipe design, instrumentation and project management.

money is not the biggest factor when experienced engineers change employers

It is rarely money, the most recent poll found a pleasant work environment. That includes an innovative company the offers both challenges and job security, with a positive image where people are proud to work,” said Winterfield.